Dave Allen

So we have three rookie deal qb's who actually won rings in the past 20 years. Three quarterbacks who are going to be Hall of Famers, and who have continued to keep their team contenders in the second contract and beyond. That's not a rookie deal model, that's hitting the lottery. The other guys don't interest me. They lost. I want to see the Bills in the playoffs as much as anyone else, but I'm not going to act like it's the endgame. If Beane starts looking at the draft and FA's like it's playoffs or bust, they're screwed.

A second-year quarterback getting to the playoffs isn't the 'model' just because a couple of teams have done it. Beane is building a perennial contender. He's not going to sacrifice long-term success for a wild-card one-out, or throw all of his cards in on the 'get to the playoffs on the rookie deal' myth. I expect a good draft class, a lot of FA depth and maybe one or two quality FA starters. If it comes together for a playoff run, great. I'm okay if it doesn't as long as the arrow keeps pointing up.

This doesn't pass the smell test for me. Kap may have rejected the contract, but a $20 mil demand is not believable given the standard wage scale firmly in place. To print this without some kind of confirmation, or even a second source, is irresponsible.

I believe in second chances. If it's true he's rehabilitated, he might be worth looking at. My guess is someone will pick him up in the second round. But I disagree with your calling it a mistake. Two plus two equals five is a mistake. Forgetting to put out the garbage can on collection day is a mistake. My first marriage - huge mistake. Beating the hell out of a girl is not a mistake, it's a conscious decision to commit a criminal assault. Calling it a mistake minimizes responsibility; there no 'oops' moment.

To little too late. Teams want players with an singular, unconditional passion for football. Murray was clear a long time ago that this was a financial decision, by trying to hold up the A's for more money to forgo football. A lot of teams are going to have him flagged, and he may have very well cost himself several draft sport. Then again, it only takes one team to overlook that - I'd say Washington or Miami are the best bets.

I'd take two firsts, if one of them was Oakland's 2020 first-rounder.

Harry will go 10-20. 31 teams will have him as a second-rounder, but there's going to be that one team... My money's on he Redskins or Raiders.

Glad he's doing well. I'm always happy for the young guys who find direction and succeed in life. Wishing him the best.

To me, the 'rookie deal window' strategy is foolish. Surround a rookie QB with a bunch of high-priced players and hope to get lucky before you see them all leave as FAs. That's how you pin your hopes on Blake Bortles. In the past 20 years, I count (I eyeballed the list - correct me if I'm wrong) five QBs who won on their rookie deal. Brady, Rothlisberger, Eli, Wilson and Flacco. Four of those are going to the HOF, and Flacco played out of his mind. (They also all had top-tier coaches, but that's another argument for another time). Smart way to go is to build for long-term success. Good coaching, franchise quarterback, smart drafting, and you have a super bowl contender every year for the next decade. Not rubbing a rabbit's foot hoping to get lucky before the salary cap screws you.

Gotta say it. Kyle Williams.

I've read he's light. It's said he could move to guard or center.

Allen has some work to do in the passing game, but the dude plays balls-out - all game, every play. I wouldn't trade him for anybody. ANYBODY.

Jerry, Trent and Star are all 28-30 years old. The Bills definitely need to add some top-tier youth to the DL, soon.

The problem is that some fans' expectations are too high. The Bills are aiming for long-term, high-level competitiveness, and there are too many holes to fill to reach that mark in 2019. I doubt they are going to try to cram a bunch of overpaid free agents and overreached draft picks just to aim for a playoff spot next year, at the expense of long-term success. If the team can draft solidly again next year - I'd expect a WR, OL and a DL/CB in the first few rounds, and the same in free agency - then they should take a good step forward. But significant upgrades at 11 different starting positions is unlikely in one offseason.

From my view, the elite defenses have at least one elite playmaker at each level. White and Edmunds are on their way, but we don't have that one guy on the DL who strikes fear into the quarterback. If the Bills have a shot at a guy like that in the draft, I'd be all for it. Otherwise, I expect them to focus more on adding depth.

Nothing is uglier than Oregon. Except maybe the Seahawks' neon yellow highlighter uniforms. I'd take the Astros late-70's rainbow uniform over those. That being said, I think the red uniforms are good for snow games. I enjoy watching games when I can actually see the players.

Stats do need to be put into context. Then again, which context? For me, it seems that if you had him stop throwing as many intermediate and deep passes, and give him more checkdown options, his completion percentage as well as his off-target percentage (as judged by ESPN) would improve a lot. What I really want to see - and I'm sure it's out there somewhere - is a week-by-week breakdown of his accuracy on short, intermediate and long throws. My guess is that he's improving in all areas.

The defense is very good. One thing I'd like to see is the addition of an elite talent on line. They're solid, but they could use a franchise pass rusher or tackle.

Seems like the upcoming class is top-heavy with defense. If the Bills falter and finish with a top-5 pick, I can see them drafting a DL stud rather than reaching for an offensive player. If they stay where they are now, around #8, I like Metcalf, although his injury scares me.

Albert Breer said the Bills are going to be pain in the rear for teams in December. https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/11/26/baker-mayfield-hue-jackson-browns-philip-rivers-broncos-steelers-vikings-packers-bills-jaguars-mmqb-week-12?utm_campaign=themmqb&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social “It’s human capital—it’s people,” McDermott says. “People willing to work through these types of moments, that can build strength. You look back to my early days in Philly, early days in Carolina—we learned from the bumps as we grew, and those things make you stronger in years to come. You’ll have those to fall back on in years to come. Some teams would go south, and that’s what I’m most proud of now. “This is a resilient group, and it’s only going to get stronger And the cool part is, these guys are the ones that are going to teach next year’s crop.” Wins haven’t been easy to come by, of course. But consider that the Bills are getting through the hard part now, and in the standings just passed a Jaguars team that knocked them out of the playoffs last January. Those same Jaguars, by the way, were all in for 2018. And as a result, it seems pretty clear who’s in a healthier spot going forward.

So how many games does (Marcell) Dareus think the best Alabama team he played on would win? “The NFL is way too strong, way too fast. There are too many dogs in the NFL,” Dareus says. “I’ll safely say four wins. We’d beat teams because they would make more mistakes than Alabama. We may not be as physical, but other teams would make mistakes we would not.”

There's a good story in the D&C about Teller: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/football/nfl/bills/2018/11/22/buffalo-bills-rookie-wyatt-teller-ready-big-test-against-jaguars/2079011002/

How many Super Bowls have been won with quarterbacks on their rookie contracts? Since 2000, I see three - Wilson, Roethlisberger and Brady (I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong). Each of those three weren't just 'competent' rookies, but guys on the road to the Hall of Fame. It's only a trend worth copying if it works. Building around a rookie contract buys you a short window in which you hope to get lucky. The Bills are trying to build a sustainable Super Bowl contender.

The Bills value versatility, so I could see them taking him, if there isn't an offensive player to their liking.

I'd love to see him go to Ohio State if Meyer leaves. The testosterone would be off the charts for the OSU-Michigan game every year.